Triumph Studios just announced that Age of Wonders 3 will be released this fall for PC. I'm not well-versed enough the series to recognize how it will be different from the old ones. Perhaps the rest of you can help figure it out.

The game-play looks very promising. I watched a combat video that appeared to have the elements that I enjoyed in the previous Age of Wonders Shadow Magic - and I hope there's more to appreciate in every aspect from strategy to tactics.

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You just don't give up do you? You seize life by the throat and shake it like a topless bartender mixing a martini! -- Mayor Adam West

I like it! I loved the original AoW but couldn't get into AoW2 for some reason. This has pulled me back in completely. My biggest complaint right now is a bit of a silly one. The game has a great hero editor but the game forces you to use a premade character in the primary campaigns. I would feel more connected to the story if it was my own character instead of one that was forced on me.

Yeah, the amount of new content that Eternal Lords adds is really impressive, particularly for $20. I liked AoW 3 out the box and *loved* the Golden Realms expansion, so I can't wait to dig into the next iteration!

It looks like you can opt into the 1.5 update beta early if you wish. In looking over what is coming to AoW 3 even without buying the expansion, the game will get better. These Triumph guys are alright!

If interested: http://ageofwonders.com/open-beta-for-update-v1-5-kicks-off/

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LD

"Let your enemies fear, for a harlequin of the Laughing God dances at your side."

I'm not sure how many strategy gamers visit GT that don't also visit OO and/or QT3; but Eternal Lords is out, and with the exception of some minor bug fixing that will happen very soon, it is in EXCELLENT shape.

The game is simply outstanding on so many levels. If you like "civ-like" strategy games with a bit more focus on tactical combat, and you don't mind the fantasy genre, I really can not recommend this game enough. It is honestly that good.

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LD

"Let your enemies fear, for a harlequin of the Laughing God dances at your side."

I bought it last weekend with all the DLC. Mostly just because the price was good though, not because I'm really itching it play it immediately. It'll be first up once I finish my current ESO addiction.

I agree with everything Lockdown said: Age of Wonders III is a really amazing game! I particularly like how your armies, especially during the early-to-mid game, feel like adventuring parties with characters who level up and occasionally even evolve into new forms. That's in addition to your Hero units who get to equip unique pieces of gear and can be customized into extremely powerful warriors, spellcasters, or generals that buff up their retinue tremendously.

The biggest piece of advice I'd give to new players is to always check the enemies' info screens during combat. Shooting that axeman squad from a distance might be Tactics 101, but understanding that you can't damage them at all until you kill the Martyrs shielding them from nine hexes back is going to transform how you play out the battle. Cavalry deals more damage if charge into melee range from at least two spaces away. Rogues can slip through city walls. Spy Drones explode upon death and deal heavy damage to everything nearby...except Dwarven First Born which are immune to fire. Every unit in the game has *something* that makes it special, and you can easily see it all in their detailed info screens.

Fighting the AI has been a lot of fun, too. An early bug would make it scramble all its defenders outside city walls in a rush to engage. That was patched out long ago, and now successfully seizing a well-defended enemy city means finding ways to survive withering arrow volleys from the ramparts. It's especially cool how the AI behaves slightly differently depending on the units it controls -- wild beasts and ancient constructs tend to be more reckless than trained soldiers operating under the command of a seasoned general.

Everything AA said is positively true, and makes the tactical battles a treat. Understanding flanking, high ground, defense/resistances of units, and even how cover works can make or break a battle when it's close.

I would also say if you are coming into the series fresh, don't be too discouraged that there isn't a typical tech/research tree that most 4x games are known for. AoW3 makes up for that in a number of ways.1. As AA mentioned, your heroes level up, and the abilities you can buy when this happens range from mundane to epic; and can make a significant difference in the way they are used, particularly in tactical battles.2. You are required to choose a Race, Class, and 3 Specialty areas of study upon starting a game. These choices directly affect how your "spellbook" is populated throughout the entire game. I suppose you could even equate the spellbook to a 'tech tree' if you want to stretch the definition some. The tactical and global abilities/spells you will gain access to depend greatly on your choice of race/class/specialties. Further, even some of the units you have access to change; not to mention more subtle differences. AA can take a Dwarf Rogue, Gratch a Dwarf Sorcerer, and me an Elf Rogue; and we will have different units/abilities than each other. Then once you factor in we may all choose different specialties to focus on (Air/Water/Good/Evil/Expansion, etc...); and our "tech trees" begin to look significantly different.3. You build up your towns from a list that differs based on the above choices as well. This doesn't even take into account minor towns you can take over, giving you the potential to have a huge range of different upgrades available to your empire.

There's honestly too much content to try to explain without droning on. Units level up; magic items can be created and equipped to your heart's desire; specialties can be chosen to Mastery levels; global spells can be cast that drastically affect the world; terrain can be modified; morale can have huge effects; map setup can unbelievably change a game; and even diplomacy can have an impact beyond what you might think.

Ok... I'm droning on. I just feel Triumph deserves so much praise for creating one heck of a game here.

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LD

"Let your enemies fear, for a harlequin of the Laughing God dances at your side."